Camera module and mobile phone using the same

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein is a camera module comprising: a circuit board; a frame coupled to the circuit board; an image sensor on the circuit board; a bobbin on the frame, a plurality of lenses being inside the bobbin; a coil wound on the bobbin, the bobbin moving to two directions based on a current applied to the coil; a magnet configured to interact the coil; and a yoke on the frame, the magnet being at an inner side of the yoke, wherein the bobbin moves to a first direction when a forward current is applied to the coil and to a second direction when a reverse current is applied to the coil.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.13/974,622, filed Aug. 23, 2013, which is a continuation of U.S.application Ser. No. 12/974,675, filed Dec. 21, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No.8,543,159, issued Sep. 24, 2013, which claims the benefit under 35U.S.C. §119 of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2009-0128159, filed onDec. 21, 2009, which are hereby incorporated by reference in theirentirety.

BACKGROUND

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a mobile phone installed with a cameramodule.

Description of the Related Art

Concomitant with the development of recent communication and digitalinformation processing technologies, a mobile phone technique integratedwith information processing and computations, communications, and imageinformation input/output has newly emerged.

Consistent with this, a mobile phone merged with a camera function hascommercialized, at which system the mobile phone installed with a cameramodule photographs and stores moving images and still images andtransfers them to the other party.

A mobile phone installed with such a camera module simply does notremain in a function of shooting an object, but is actually in a stageof adding an accessory function like a focus function of adjusting afocus of objects to be shot and a zoom function of making an object inthe distance appear a near-sight or a close positioned object cominginto a far distance.

A conventional lens unit of a camera module moves upward/downward alongwith an optical axis by a VCM (Voice Coil Motor), and through such anaction, a camera module can do an auto focusing of a focal point of anobject.

At this time, an upper part and a lower part of a lens unit is installedwith an upper spring and an lower spring, and in a case a force appliedto a lens part by a voice coil motor is greater than tension of aspring, a lens unit moves in an optical axis direction.

A camera module-installed mobile phone may operate in “vibration mode”vibrating by drive of a vibration motor, where a spring supporting alens unit may rock simultaneously when a mobile phone is trembling dueto a vibration mode.

When a spring supporting a lens unit rocks, so does a lens unit, wherebya banging sound occurs in a vibration mode as the lens unit touches abottom surface.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The present invention provides a mobile phone installed with a cameramodule configured to inhibit a thud noise occurring due to a lens unitin a vibration mode of a mobile phone.

In one general aspect of the present invention, there may be provided acamera module, the camera module comprising: a circuit board; a framecoupled to the circuit board; an image sensor on the circuit board; abobbin on the frame, a plurality of lenses being inside the bobbin; acoil wound on the bobbin, the bobbin moving to two directions based on acurrent applied to the coil; a magnet configured to interact the coil;and a yoke on the frame, the magnet being at an inner side of the yoke,wherein the bobbin moves to a first direction when a forward current isapplied to the coil and to a second direction when a reverse current isapplied to the coil.

In some exemplary of the present invention, the magnet may be betweenthe yoke and the coil.

In some exemplary of the present invention, the first direction mayinclude a direction distancing from the frame along an optical axis andthe second direction may include a direction approaching the frame alongthe optical axis.

In some exemplary of the present invention, the camera module mayfurther comprising: a first tension member at upper part of the bobbin;and a second tension member on the frame, wherein the second tensionmember is place below the bobbin.

In some exemplary of the present invention, outside part of the firsttension member may be supported by an upper side of the yoke, and insidepart of the first tension member may face the bobbin.

In some exemplary of the present invention, the either side of thesecond tension member may be spaced from the frame.

In some exemplary of the present invention, the second tension membermay be isolated from the yoke.

In some exemplary of the present invention, the first tension frame mayapply pressure to the upper part of the bobbin.

In some exemplary of the present invention, the camera module mayfurther comprise a filter laid over the image sensor and below thebobbin, and configured to filter infrared inputted to the image sensor.

In some exemplary of the present invention, the camera module mayfurther comprise a case supported by the frame.

In another general aspect of the present invention, there may beprovided a mobile terminal comprising a camera module and a vibrationcontrol unit, wherein the camera module comprising; a circuit board; aframe coupled to the circuit board; an image sensor disposed on thecircuit board; a bobbin on the frame, a plurality of lenses being insidethe bobbin; a coil wound on the bobbin, the bobbin moving to twodirections based on a current applied to the coil; a magnet configuredto interact the coil; and a yoke disposed on the frame, the magnet beingat an inner side of the yoke, and wherein the vibration control unit maybe configured to output a first control signal and a second controlsignal when a signal for a vibration mode is inputted and a reversecurrent is applied to the coil according to the second control signal.

In some exemplary of the present invention, the mobile terminal mayfurther comprise a vibration motor unit configured to vibrate the mobileterminal by driving a motor according to the first control signal fromthe vibration control unit.

In some exemplary of the present invention, the mobile terminal mayfurther comprise an actuator drive unit configured to apply the reversecurrent to the coil according to the second control signal.

In some exemplary of the present invention, the yoke may comprise anupper plate and a lateral plate extended from an edge of the upperplate, and the magnet may be coupled to the lateral plate.

In some exemplary of the present invention, the frame may furthercomprise a supporter extended toward the image sensor from a peripheralportion of the frame.

An embodiment of the invention applies a reverse current to an actuatordriving a lens unit of a camera module and thus extremely pushes a lensunit onto a tension member placed at a lower part, so that a bangingsound occurring by movement of a lens unit in a vibration mode can beinhibited.

In addition, the present invention provides a mobile phone including, anactuator moving a lens; a vibration control unit outputting a firstcontrol signal and a second control signal; a vibration motor unitvibrating the mobile phone by driving a motor, when the first controlsignal is input, connected to the vibration control unit; and anactuator drive part applying the current to the actuator when the secondcontrol signal is input, connected to the vibration control unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an outer shape diagram of a mobile phone according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section view of a camera module according to anembodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic construction diagram of a central control unit andan actuator of a mobile phone according to an embodiment of theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Since the present invention can be applied with various changes theretoand several types of embodiments, specific embodiments intend to beexemplified in the drawings and minutely described in the detaileddescription. However, it should not be appreciated in a limiting senseof limiting the present invention to a specific example but to includeall the changes, equivalents and replacements which fall in the spiritand technical scope of the present invention.

While terms including ordinal numbers such as a first and a second maybe used to describe various components, such components are not limitedto the terms. The terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishingone component from other components.

For example, a second component may be named as a first componentwithout departing from the scope of the present invention rights, and ina similar way, the first component may be renamed as the secondcomponent.

Stated that any component is “connected” or “conjunctive” to anothercomponent, it will be appreciated to be directly connected orconjunctive to the very another component or otherwise that there existsany component in the midst of them. On the other hand, stating that anycomponent is “directly connected” or “directly conjunctive” to anothercomponent, it should be understood that any other component does notexist therebetween.

Terms used in the present application are only used to describe aspecific embodiment, not in a sense of limiting the invention. Asingular form includes a plural form, otherwise stated in a differentway in the context. In this application, the terms such as “include” or“have” indicate that there exist a characteristic, a number, a step, anoperation, a component, other things recited in the specification or acombination thereof, but it should not be understood to preclude theexistence or addition of one or more other characteristics, numbers,operations, substances, components or a combination of thereof.

In the following, a mobile phone according to an embodiment of thepresent invention will be described in detail referring to the attacheddrawings, but without regard to a drawing sign, an identical orcorresponding component is assigned the same reference numeral and aredundant description regarding this will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is an outer shape diagram of a mobile phone according to thepresent invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, a mobile phone includes a main body 200 and a cameramodule 100 mounted at a setting position of the main body 200.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a camera module 100 according to anembodiment of the invention.

As shown in FIG. 2, a camera module 200 of the present inventionincludes a case 10, an upper part tension member 20, a lens barrel 30,an actuator 40, a lower part tension member 50, a frame 60, an IR filter70, an image sensor 80 and a printed circuit board 90.

For auto focusing, an actuator 40, that is an operating unit shifting alens barrel 30 along with an optical axis direction O, is necessary, inwhich the present invention is a voice coil motor among actuators 40.

An actuator 40 includes a bobbin 41, a coil 42, a permanent magnet 43,and a yoke 44.

A case 10 has a cubical form with its lower part opened, and an upperpart central side is formed with a light penetration hole 11. A lowerpart of a case 10 is supported by a frame 60.

The case 10 is coupled with a frame 60 to form a frame 60, and the spaceincludes an upper part tension member 20, a lens barrel 30, an actuator40, and an IR filter 50.

It is preferred that a case 10 is manufactured with plastic for aninsulation between its inner part and outer part, and an injectionmolding for mass production is possible.

An upper part tension member 20 is a plate spring, being inserted intoan upper part of a case 10, and its outside part is supported by a yoke44 of an actuator 40, and its inside part faces a bobbin 41 of anactuator 40 and applies pressure to an upper side of a bobbin 41.

A lower part tension member 50 may be into an insert injection at abobbin 41, and may be pasted with a bond.

A lens barrel 30 is a means of fixing and protecting a plurality oflenses, an inner side of a lens barrel 30 is stacked with a plurality oflens capable of inputting a light image of a subject sequentiallyaccording to an optical axis direction O.

A surrounding surface of a lens barrel 30 is formed of a screw thread31, and the screw thread 31 is screw-coupled to a screw thread formed atan inner-rim surface of a bobbin 41.

The bobbin 41 is of a cylindrical shape with its upper part and lowerpart opened, and the inner-rim surface is formed with a screw threadcorresponding to a screw thread 31 of a lens barrel 30. The presentinvention may take the far distance focusing of a camera module byscrew-coupling a lens barrel 30 to an inner-rim surface of a bobbin 41.

A surrounding part of a bobbin 41 is wound perpendicular to thedirection of magnetic flux by a coil 42 interacting with a permanentmagnet 43.

An inner side of a case 10 is inserted with a yoke 44 for keepingmagnetic field between a coil 42 and a permanent magnet 43 from leakingfrom outside, and a permanent magnet 43 is mounted at an inner side of ayoke 44 to face each other based on a bobbin 41. The yoke 44 issupported by a frame 60.

When a voltage is applied to a coil 42, current flowing through the coiland magnetic field of a permanent magnet 43 interact (Fleming'sleft-hand rule), and thus a bobbin 41 is inflicted with a force towardsan upper side of an optical axis direction. At this time, the greaterthe intensity of current applied to the coil 42 is, a distance a lensbarrel 30 and a bobbin 41 shift to an upper part along an optical axisdirection increases.

Successively, when a voltage applied to a coil 42 is blocked, a lensbarrel 30 and a bobbin 41 shift to a lower part along with an opticalaxis direction by an upper part tension member 20 and a lower parttension member 50 and return to its original state.

A printed circuit board 90 is mounted with an image sensor 80transforming a light image into an electrical signal, and a frame 60 isa rectangular shape having a central opening part that can penetrate alight to an image sensor 80, and the frame 60 is positioned at a lowerpart of a lens barrel 30, and mounted with an IR filter 70 filteringinfrared.

An image sensor 80 is placed at a lower part of a lens barrel 30 and atan upper part of a printed circuit board 90, and transforms a lightimage incident through a plurality of lens into an electrical signal.

The printed circuit board 90 is an FPCB (Flexible Printed Circuit Board)having a high evenness level, an outwardly extended part from an FPCB isprovided with means connected to an external device (not shown).

As described above, a lens barrel 30 of the present invention issupported by elasticity force between an upper part tension member 20and a lower part tension member 50.

FIG. 3 is a schematic construction view of a central control part 300and an actuator 40 of a mobile phone according to an embodiment of theinvention.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, a central control part 300 of a mobile phoneof the invention includes a vibration control part 310 controllingvibration of a mobile phone, a vibration motor part 320 receiving anelectric source voltage according to a control signal of the vibrationcontrol part 310 and driving a mobile phone in a vibration mode, and anactuator drive part 330 driving the actuator 40 of a camera module.

The vibration control part 310 processes a signal input from an externaland determines if a mobile phone should be operated in a vibration mode,and if a mobile phone needs to be operated in a vibration mode, outputsa first control signal to the vibration motor part 320.

Then, the vibration motor part 320 drives a motor so that a mobile phonevibrates according to a first control signal.

If a signal telling of operating in a vibration mode from outside isinput like in the case of a vibration mode when a call is terminated orin a case a user manipulates a keypad to convert a bell mode into avibration mode, a vibration control part 310 outputs a first controlsignal and a second control signal informing of a vibration modeinitiation to a vibration motor part 320 and an actuator drive part 330,respectively.

An actuator drive part 330 applies “forward current” to the coil 42 ofan actuator 40 at the time of auto focusing action, but if a secondcontrol signal from the vibration control part 310 is input, it applies“reverse current” to the coil 42 of an actuator 40.

If a reverse current is applied to the coil 42, a bobbin 41 of anactuator 40 is inflicted with a force toward a lower side of an opticalaxis direction by Fleming's left-hand rule. Then, a lens barrel 30including a lens unit connected to a bobbin 41 is maximally pushed to alower part tension member 50, thereby presumably inhibiting a bangingsound occurring according to the falter of a lens unit in a vibrationmode of a mobile phone.

A circuit of applying a forward current and a reverse current to theactuator 40 may be variously realized, and a related specificdescription will be omitted.

The vibration control part 310 may output simultaneously a first controlsignal and a second control signal, but it may output a first controlsignal a pre-defined time after a second control signal is outputted.

A vibration control part 310 of the present invention may set a certaintime interval while a second control signal is output and afterwards afirst control signal is output, so that a vibration mode after a lensbarrel 30 is maximally pushed to a lower part tension member 50 may beinitiated and a banging sound occurring according to the falter of alens unit may be inhibited.

At this time, a certain time interval is a time required so that a lensbarrel 30 closely couples to a lower part tension member 50.

While the present invention has been described in detail throughrepresentative embodiments in the above part, those skilled in the artwould understand that various modifications can be made in the describedembodiment without departing from the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A camera module comprising: a frame; a printedcircuit board disposed below the frame; an image sensor disposed on theprinted circuit board; an actuator including a bobbin disposed over theframe; a lens barrel coupled to an inner side of the bobbin; at leastone lens fixed in the lens barrel; and an elastic member supporting thebobbin and positioning the bobbin at an initial position; wherein thebobbin travels in a first direction from the initial position when afirst current is applied to the actuator, and the bobbin travels in asecond direction from the initial position when a second current isapplied to the actuator; wherein a first screw thread is formed on aninner lateral surface of the bobbin, and a second screw thread is formedon an outer lateral surface of the lens barrel and coupled with thefirst screw thread; wherein an inner diameter of the second screw threadis longer than a diameter of the outer lateral surface of the lensbarrel; and wherein an outer lateral surface of the lens barrel isrecessed inwardly forming a stepped part thereon between an upper sideof the second screw thread and an upper end of the lens barrel.
 2. Thecamera module of claim 1, wherein the actuator further includes a coiland a magnet.
 3. The camera module of claim 2, wherein the first orsecond current is applied to the coil.
 4. The camera module of claim 3,wherein the first current includes a forward current and the secondcurrent includes a reverse current.
 5. The camera module of claim 3,wherein the first direction is opposite to the second direction.
 6. Thecamera module of claim 5, wherein the first direction includes adirection distancing from the frame and the second direction includes adirection approaching the frame.
 7. The camera module of claim 3,wherein as the intensity of the first or second current increases, adistance where the bobbin travels from the initial position increases.8. The camera module of claim 2, wherein the actuator further includes ayoke in which the magnet is disposed or mounted.
 9. The camera module ofclaim 8, wherein the bobbin is disposed in the yoke, the coil isdisposed on a side surface of the bobbin, and the magnet faces the coil.10. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the lens barrel is coupled tothe bobbin at an upper portion of the bobbin.
 11. The camera module ofclaim 1, wherein the frame has a rectangular shape.
 12. The cameramodule of claim 1, wherein the elastic member includes a first elasticmember coupled to an upper portion of the bobbin and a second elasticmember coupled to a lower portion of the bobbin.
 13. The camera moduleof claim 1, further comprising a case disposed over the bobbin.
 14. Acamera module comprising: a frame having a first opening; an imagesensor disposed below the frame; a printed circuit board coupled to theimage sensor; an actuator including a bobbin disposed over the frame andhaving a second opening corresponding to the first opening, an upperpart and a lower part of the bobbin being opened; a lens barrel coupledat the second opening of the bobbin; a plurality of lenses fixed in thelens barrel; an elastic member supporting the bobbin and positioning thebobbin at an initial position; and a filter disposed below the lensbarrel and coupled to a portion around the first opening of the frame;wherein the bobbin travels in a first direction from the initialposition when a first current is applied to the actuator, and the bobbintravels in a second direction from the initial position when a secondcurrent is applied to the actuator; wherein a first screw thread isformed on an inner lateral surface of the bobbin, and a second screwthread is formed on an outer lateral surface of the lens barrel andcoupled with the first screw thread; wherein an inner diameter of thesecond screw thread is longer than a diameter of the outer lateralsurface of the lens barrel; and wherein an outer lateral surface of thelens barrel is recessed inwardly forming a stepped part thereon betweenan upper side of the second screw thread and an upper end of the lensbarrel.
 15. The camera module of claim 14, wherein the actuator furtherincludes a coil and a magnet, and wherein the first or second current isapplied to the coil.
 16. The camera module of claim 15, wherein thefirst current includes a forward current and the second current includesa reverse current, and wherein the first direction is opposite to thesecond direction.
 17. The camera module of claim 15, wherein theactuator further includes a yoke in which the magnet is disposed orfixed, and wherein the bobbin is disposed in the yoke, the coil isdisposed on a side surface of the bobbin, and the magnet faces the coil.18. The camera module of claim 14, wherein the lens barrel is insertedinto the second opening of the bobbin from an upper side of the bobbin.19. A mobile phone comprising: a frame; a printed circuit board disposedbelow the frame; an image sensor disposed on the printed circuit board;an actuator including a bobbin disposed over the frame; a lens barrelcoupled to an inner side of the bobbin; at least one lens fixed in thelens barrel; and an elastic member supporting the bobbin and positioningthe bobbin at an initial position; wherein the bobbin travels in a firstdirection from the initial position when a first current is applied tothe actuator, and the bobbin travels in a second direction from theinitial position when a second current is applied to the actuator;wherein a first screw thread is formed on an inner lateral surface ofthe bobbin, and a second screw thread is formed on an outer lateralsurface of the lens barrel and coupled with the first screw thread;wherein an inner diameter of the second screw thread is longer than adiameter of the outer lateral surface of the lens barrel; and wherein anouter lateral surface of the lens barrel is recessed inwardly forming astepped part thereon between an upper side of the second screw threadand an upper end of the lens barrel.